The Dominion. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1942. THE PROBLEM OF ABSENTEEISM

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 14, 12 October 1942, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1942. THE PROBLEM OF ABSENTEEISM

With the growing shortage of labour hampering effort to meet the demand for increased production, absenteeism has become an offence of mounting gravity. Failure of workers to attend regularly at their places of employment inevitably becomes a drag on production, and although that must, at all times, mean economic loss, it constitutes a definite menace in times of war-. The adverse effects are serious enough in cases where absence is unavoidable, but at a time when the maximum output is imperative further losses and delays caused by what has been termed.-voluntary absenteeism cannot be tolerated. The problem has been reported from many countries, and various causes mentioned. For one thing, the demand for workers removes fear of unemployment, and doubt about those leaving their jobs being able to locate another position. So they become slack and careless in the matter of attendance and punctuality. In other cases the higher rates of pay ruling enable many to earn a substantial amount in a few days and so they decide to take a day off. Some in essential services, it has been said, want to change their occupation and think that recurring absences from work may lead to the employer dispensing with their services. These are among the causes of absenteeism mentioned by those who have studied the matter in other countries, and to some extent they probably apply here. . . The British authorities promptly took action to deal with the matter. If any person employed in an essential industry was absent without reasonable cause from his or her work, or persistently late in arriving at the place of employment, the case could be reported to a National Service Officer. He thereupon gave the worker a direction as to the method or manner of his work and “the times at which and during which he should present himself for work and remain at work. The worker could appeal, but if the decision went against him he committed an offence if he failed to comply with the direction. This procedure was found to be too cumbersome and last March it was amended to make it an offence “for a person to whom an essential work order applies either to absent himself or be persistently late without reasonable excuse.” Action could be taken without any specific direction having been given and without the worker having an oppoitunity to appeal. That system is said to have, effected an improvement. It is part and parcel of the regimentation that war imposes on all sections of a community, ; ... . What previously was regarded* as being solely a matter between the parties concerned has for the time being acquired a different status and the relation of work and output to the requirements of a nation at war has to be taken into’account. The war effort is not a divisible thing: Some phases may be of more vital importance than others, but all now have an added importance to the nation as a whole, and the wider that fact is recognized and the work, whatever it may be, efficiently done, the more effective will be the results and the less will be the need for any regimentation. Absenteeism is one of the weaknesses within the power of the individual to remove..